Daniel Cormier, one of MMA’s most notable figures, strongly condemned Jon Jones this weekend after Jones announced his retirement and relinquished the UFC heavyweight championship. The move promoted interim champion Tom Aspinall to undisputed titleholder but left many questioning why Jones refused to face Aspinall. Cormier, closely connected to Jones’s legacy due to their storied rivalry, shared his blunt perspective on this controversial situation.

Cormier Accuses Jones of Quitting Rather than Fighting

In a recent statement, Cormier openly accused Jones of choosing to quit instead of defending his title against Aspinall. He expressed disbelief over Jones’s reluctance to accept the fight and pointed to the opportunity Aspinall represented.

By not stepping in that octagon, he quit,

Cormier said.

He didn’t want to fight Tom Aspinall. It’s so surprising. Is he scared? No. But by not fighting Aspinall, he opened up the conversation. He lets you, every one of you, question why he didn’t fight him.

Cormier stressed that Jones lacked the hunger and motivation to take on a challenger like Aspinall, despite his extensive achievements and financial security.

You got a young, hungry champion that goes, ‘I wanna kick this dude’s ass,’

Cormier explained.

Especially when you know you’ve got millions of dollars in the bank. You’re doing very well. You just bought a brand new beautiful home in Albuquerque. But you know what it takes. You know what you went through to beat me. You know what you went through to beat Stipe. You know what you went through to beat Gustafsson.

You know what it took to get there, but you don’t have that desire to do so. So he walked away.

Jones’s Conduct and Its Impact on His Legacy

Daniel Cormier also criticized Jones’s public handling of his recent decisions, suggesting they have damaged how fighters and fans perceive him. He emphasized that despite Jones’s confidence in his actions, the refusal to defend his title left many disappointed.

To walk away right now opens the door for people to start having a conversation: does this affect the legacy? Because I feel, like, many decisions he made over the course of this last month where he was hiccupping and he was stumbling all over the Internet … He felt assured that he was doing the right thing, but he wasn’t. He’s supposed to fight.

He talked about fighting Francis Ngannou, but he didn’t talk about fighting this guy because he never truly had any intention of fighting this guy,

Cormier stated.

Tom Aspinall was waiting. The UFC was waiting. Everybody’s waiting for a decision, when in reality? You’re the heavyweight champ! You’re supposed to fight. You go out there and you do the job. You go fight that dude, and you put him in his place.

Beating Tom Aspinall would have further legitimized his career,

Cormier added.

I don’t know that he needs it. He was unbeaten in twenty UFC fights, won sixteen UFC title fights. He’s done it all. But what happened today opens a conversation for us to question whether or not he ran away. I will go to my grave believing he quit instead of fighting that guy.

UFC’s Efforts and the Fallout of Jones’s Decision

Cormier made it clear that the UFC had done everything within their power to make the potential bout with Aspinall happen, including financial incentives, but Jones declined.

They gave him the money,

Cormier remarked.

They agreed to everything, and he still just would not do it.

Jones’s behavior, including trolling on social media while holding a belt he apparently never planned to defend, has frustrated fans and fighters alike. The heavyweight division remains in limbo due to these developments, with Jones receiving most of the criticism, although some contend the UFC shares responsibility.

While short-term anger is evident, it remains uncertain how much lasting damage Jones’s actions will cause regarding his status in historical GOAT debates. However, his refusal to fight Aspinall stands as a significant blemish on his record.